Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation For Addressable Content

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for push-based dynamic bandwidth allocation deliver addressable, advertising content in a digital network. Bandwidth is allocated on a push basis in response to receiving a trigger from a content distribution stream. The trigger contains data indicating an addressable break. A portion of bandwidth is then allocated to an addressable content stream based on the data of the trigger. The addressable content stream is then streamed to a receiver during the addressable break and the receiver is tuned from the broadcast stream to the addressable content stream for the duration of the addressable break. The additional bandwidth is de-allocated at the end of the addressable break.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/284,709, filed Feb. 25, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/844,680, filed Dec. 18, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No.10,257,550 issued Apr. 9, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/417,354, filed Jan. 27, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No.9,866,880 issued Jan. 9, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/792,041, filed Jul. 6, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No.9,560,396 issued Jan. 31, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/455,773, filed Apr. 25, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No.9,077,757 issued Jul. 7, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/512,769, filed Jul. 30, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No.8,171,511 issued May 1, 2012, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/084,739, filed Jul. 30, 2008, allof which are incorporated hereby by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to cable transmission, and morespecifically to methods and systems for dynamic bandwidth allocation foraddressable content.

BACKGROUND

Cable operators and vendors, such as Big Band, Motorola, Cisco, andImagine Communications, have developed and are further refining systemsto measure bandwidth demand or “pull” by cable consumers and allocatecapacity within a cable plant node on a real-time dynamic basis. Thesetypes of systems are referred to as “switched digital video” systems.Switched digital video (“SDV”) systems are being implemented to resolvegrowing consumer demand of cable bit/bandwidth. With hundreds ofpossible television channels and an increasing number of high-definition(“HD”) channels, cable service providers are being stretched to thelimits of their network capacity in order to provide uninterrupted,quality service to their subscribers. In addition to audio and videodata transmitted for television services, many providers also packageInternet, Video-on-Demand and digital telephone services to subscribers—all within the same cable infrastructure.

To accommodate the increased demand for bandwidth, cable providers limitthe transmission of a particular channel until it is requested by asubscriber. For example, a certain channel is not constantly broadcastto a home, or neighborhood. When a subscriber tunes to that channel onthe digital set-top box, a signal is sent to the cable provider to“turn-on” the channel. The provider then transmits the stream of datacontaining that channel's video and audio through the cable to theset-top box and on to the subscriber's television. Should a secondsubscriber in the same service area call up that same channel, thestream is forwarded on to that set top box eliminating the need for asecond stream of the same channel.

The transmission speeds of signals over the cable lines is fast enoughthat the subscriber is unaware that seconds before tuning to thatstation, the station was not being broadcast at all.

Current switched digital video systems are designed to alleviate andovercome bandwidth transmission limitations from the consumer on a“pull” basis (i.e., dynamically allocating bandwidth based uponsubscriber usage and demand). For example, when a digital Cable TVsubscriber starts a Video-On-Demand (“VOD”) session to watch a movie, atraditional sequence of events includes following steps: the subscriberselects a particular piece of On-Demand content from the menu on theDigital Cable Set-top Box (“DSTB”); the DSTB initiates a request to theback-end VOD server to start a session; the VOD server performs someauthentication and/or billing functions; and then the VOD serverallocates the content. The VOD server then will attempt to allocatebandwidth for this session. If no bandwidth can be allocated at the timeof the request, the VOD server will notify the DSTB which will theninform the user of the failed VOD session with an “Error: Please tryagain later” message.

Once bandwidth is allocated, the VOD server will begin streaming thecontent (via the newly allocated bandwidth) to the DSTB, where it isrendered to the subscriber. After the session is over (either becausethe subscriber actively stopped the session, or because the sessiontimed out), the bandwidth is de-allocated and returned to the network.

Another example of the traditional “pull-based” model of bandwidthallocation occurs when a digital Cable TV subscriber changes channels ina cable system that uses SDV technology to save bandwidth. Thesubscriber requests the DSTB to tune from channel X to channel Y, eitherthrough a Program Guide, or by pressing a Channel-Up/Channel-Down buttonon the remote control, or by entering the channel number directly on theremote control. The DSTB initiates a request to the back-end SDV serverconveying that the DSTB will leave channel X and tune to channel Y. TheSDV server will first check if this was the only viewer in the servicearea that was still watching channel X; if that is the case, the SDVserver will remove channel X from the active channel line-up for thisparticular cable system service areas, and de-allocate the bandwidththat the channel data stream station was occupying.

The SDV server will then check to see if channel Y is already availablein the active channel line-up for this particular cable system servicearea (signifying that at least one other subscriber's DSTB in theservice area is tuned to this channel already); if it is not yetavailable, the SDV server will allocate bandwidth for it and add it tothe active channel line-up. The SDV server will then send a message backto the DSTB to indicate the (new) position of channel Y in the activechannel line-up, at a position ‘n’). Upon receipt of this message, theDSTB will tune to position n, and the viewer will start viewing channelY.

There remains an untapped resource for cable and satellite serviceproviders, as well as advertisers alike in adapting a dynamic bandwidthallocation protocol on a “push” basis to opportunistically exploit thegaps or holes in the available bandwidth efficiently and effectively.That is, dynamically allocating available bandwidth to certain channelsfor the inclusion of additional services, such as advanced advertisingand content delivery, while minimizing bandwidth allocated to a channelbut not which is being used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention include systems and methods for dynamicbandwidth allocation to deliver addressable, advertising content in adigital network to users, using allocation techniques driven byasynchronous events related to the advertising content, instead of beingrequested by an end-user (in other words, it is based on a “push model”instead of on a “pull model”). Embodiments of the system are describedherein in the context of addressable content in a multi-cast multimedianetwork (e.g. a digital cable TV system, or a Direct To Home satelliteTV system), however one skilled on the art should recognize theinvention is equally applicable to other content-initiated bandwidthallocation systems as well (for example it could be used to allocatebandwidth to send personalized news or sports sequences to TV viewers).

According to one embodiment, a method of allocating bandwidth on a pushbasis includes receiving a cue tone from a broadcast stream. The cuetone contains data indicating an addressable break. A portion ofadditional bandwidth is then allocated to an addressable content streambased on the data of the cue tone. The addressable content stream isthen streamed to a receiver during the addressable break and thereceiver is tuned from the broadcast stream to the addressable contentstream for the duration of the addressable break. The additionalbandwidth is de-allocated at the end of the addressable break.

Another embodiment of the invention includes a system for dynamicallyallocating bandwidth. The system includes a storage server containingaddressable content and a splicer that is capable of receiving abroadcast stream inserting a stream of the addressable content from thestorage server into the broadcast stream. An edge device is includedwhich is capable of detecting a cue tone in the broadcast stream. Thecue tone contains data indicating an addressable break. The edge deviceis further capable of allocating a portion of bandwidth to the stream ofthe addressable content based on the data of the cue tone for aduration. The edge device is also capable of de-allocating the portionof bandwidth at the end of the duration of the addressable break.

Another embodiment of the invention includes a system for dynamicallyallocating bandwidth having a splicer capable of receiving andtransmitting a broadcast stream. The splicer detects a cue tone in thebroadcast stream. The cue tone contains data indicating an addressablebreak. The system also includes a storage server containing addressablecontent. The storage server is capable of transmitting an addressablecontent stream and allocates a portion of bandwidth for a duration tothe addressable content stream based on the data of the cue tone. Thestorage server de-allocates the portion of bandwidth at the end of theduration of the addressable break.

Another embodiment of the invention includes a system for dynamicallyallocating bandwidth including a splicer for receiving and transmittinga broadcast stream. The splicer detects a cue tone in the broadcaststream which contains data indicating an addressable break. A storageserver contains addressable content and transmits an addressable contentstream. A resource manager receives a request for additional bandwidthfrom the storage server. The resource manager defines a subnetwork ofavailable subscribers and determines a portion of the availablesubscribers in the subnetwork selected to receive the addressablecontent. The resource manager allocates a portion of the bandwidth for aduration to the addressable content stream based on the data of the cuetone and the portion of available subscribers in the subnetwork selectedto receive the addressable content. The resource manager thende-allocates the portion of bandwidth at the end of the duration of theaddressable break.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, a system for dynamicallyallocating bandwidth includes components for receiving a cue tone from abroadcast stream. The cue tone includes data indicating at least thebeginning of an addressable break in the broadcast stream. The systemalso includes components for allocating a portion of available bandwidthto an addressable content stream based on the data of the cue tone andcomponents for streaming the addressable content stream to a receiverduring the addressable break. Components for tuning the receiver fromthe broadcast stream to the addressable content stream for the durationof the addressable break are also included. Lastly, the system includescomponents for de-allocating the portion of bandwidth at the end of theaddressable break.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These embodiments and other aspects of this invention will be readilyapparent from the detailed description below and the appended drawings,which are meant to illustrate and not to limit the invention, and inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of frequency allocations of a broadcast type cabledelivery streaming system including addressable advertisements;

FIG. 2 is a timeline depiction of bandwidth allocation in a networkstream as a function of time;

FIG. 3 is a timeline depiction of bandwidth allocation in a networkstream as a function of time in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a timeline depiction of bandwidth allocation in a networkstream as a function of time in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 5 depicts a method of dynamic bandwidth allocation in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a dynamic bandwidth allocation system inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a dynamic bandwidth allocation system inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a dynamic bandwidth allocation system inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a dynamic bandwidth allocation systemincluding a resource manager in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a dynamic bandwidth allocation systemincluding a resource manager in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will be more completely understood through the followingdetailed description, which should be read in conjunction with theattached drawings. Detailed embodiments of the invention are disclosedherein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, specific functional details disclosed herein are notto be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims andas a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the field tovariously employ the invention in virtually any appropriately detailedembodiment.

Embodiments of the invention include systems and methods for dynamicbandwidth allocation to deliver addressable, advertising content in adigital network to users, using allocation techniques driven byasynchronous events related to the content, instead of being requestedby an end-user (in other words, it is based on a “push model” instead ofon a “pull model”).

Turning now to FIG. 1, frequency allocations 100 for a system foraddressable advertising in a digital cable system is depicted inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention. As depicted in theillustrative figure, the system includes, without limitation, a numberof linear local ad-supported cable networks 5 (shown as a function ofTime): twenty broadcast networks transmitted in two distinct transportstreams broadcast at 6 MHz intervals. Each network may have its ownlocal addressable breaks 7 at pre-defined times in regularly scheduledprogramming for advertisements or other addressable content. Duringthese breaks, addressable commercials are streamed through additionalbandwidth 9 and the DSTBs that are tuned to the regularly scheduledprogram are forcibly tuned 11 away from the program to a particularadvertisement 15. The DSTBs will tune back to the network program 13 atthe end of the commercial. The illustrative system can tailoradvertising content within the linear broadcast network content bymatching demographic profiles of the subscribers with a particularselection of addressable commercial content suited for the subscriber.For example, if a subscriber's credit score is above a certain thresholdand maintains a substantially high household income then addressablecontent for a premium credit card may, such as a gold or platinum cardbe may be selected to present to the subscriber during a break.

Traditional approaches to bandwidth allocation for such an addressableadvertising systems have been based on either static bandwidthallocation (i.e., allocate the bandwidth at all times), orschedule-based bandwidth allocation (i.e., allocate the bandwidth whenan addressable break is scheduled). Local advertising breaks follow aschedule that is unique per network. For example on ESPN's broadcastchannel, advertising breaks occurring between 5:30 A.M. and 6:30 A.M. ona particular day may be scheduled as follows:

-   -   Tuesday Jan. 1, 2009, 5:45 am, a :30 second break    -   Tuesday Jan. 1, 2009, 6:12 am, a :60 second break    -   Tuesday Jan. 1, 2009, 6:43 am, a :60 second break    -   Tuesday Jan. 1, 2009, 7:14 am, a :90 second break        Other networks may each have their own unique schedule tailored        to their respective broadcasted programs.

In practice, however, the scheduled time for an addressable break may beonly indicative. That is, the actual time when the break occurs maydiffer slightly (or sometimes significantly) from the scheduled time.When broadcasting live events or alternative programming due toscheduling conflicts or blackout restrictions, for example, broadcastprogrammers cannot predict or ensure when programming breaks will occur.Holding the break time as an indicator offers flexibility to the networkprogrammer to shift commercial breaks based on unpredictable programmingschedules. To remedy the inaccuracy in predicted scheduling times,broadcast programmers and service providers use a window concept. Awindow provides a time interval for which a scheduled break is valid. Abreak may be scheduled for 5:10 A.M., with a window open-time of 5:00A.M. and a window close time of 5:20 A.M., which means that the break isscheduled for 5:10 A.M., but could occur as early as 5:00 A.M. and aslate as 5:20 A.M. Any break that occurs during that window is consideredto be the 5:10 A.M. break, even if it did not actually occur at thatprecise time.

Bandwidth allocation for addressable breaks cannot be based on scheduledtime, as described above, because it is inaccurate. Thus, bandwidth (andother resources) for addressable breaks is allocated based on the breakwindow as described above. In traditional allocation systems, bandwidthis allocated for the full duration of the break window, because that isthe defined time interval when the scheduled break might occur. FIG. 2depicts the frequency allocations 200 for a traditional window-basedbandwidth allocation system. As the broadcast stream progresses throughtime, a window 21 opens at time, T₀, which is the time the additionalcontent bandwidth 9 is allocated for that stream. If the actual breakinterval 17 occurs at a different time than the scheduled break interval19, the bandwidth 9 is still available because the bandwidth 9 isallocated for the entire window period 21, ending at time T_(C).

This schedule-based system or, more accurately, window-based system, ofbandwidth allocation is functional, but is also inefficient. Bandwidthis a scarce resource in many digital broadcast systems, and thewindow-based allocation approach locks up bandwidth for the fullduration of a window, while it is only effectively being used for theduration of the break, a fraction of the entire window. For example, ifa window size of twenty minutes is selected for a sixty-second break,then the bandwidth is allocated for twenty minutes; however thebandwidth is only actually used for the sixty seconds, so thetime-bandwidth allocation, in this example is twenty times higher thanthe actually needed time-bandwidth to broadcast the addressable content.

One embodiment of the invention, as depicted in FIG. 3, includes afrequency bandwidth illustration 300 for a system using real-time breakprogramming data to allocate bandwidth 9 only when an actual break 17occurs. When a broadcast system knows when an addressable break 17 isgoing to occur, a form of pre-roll notification called a “cue tone” istransmitted. Traditionally these cue tones were audio tones, howeverwith the proliferation of digital signal processing and broadcasttransmission, digital cue tones, as described in the American NationalStandards Institute (“ANSI”) and Society of Cable and TelecommunicationsEngineers (“SCTE”) Standard 35, are being used increasingly. Other (moreproprietary) cue tones are in existence as well such asInternet-Protocol (“IP”)-based cue tones. Cue tones may sound or triggerup to several seconds before the actual break occurs, and containprecise information identifying the actual start-time and stop-time ofthe break.

One embodiment of the invention uses these tones to create an efficient,real-time dynamic bandwidth allocation system for addressableadvertising as illustrated in FIG. 4. A broadcast stream 23 includingthe addressable content stream (shown here overlapping the broadcaststream) is shown as a function of time T, defining the events associatedwith the bandwidth allocation of the embodiment. At time T₀ noadditional bandwidth is allocated to the addressable content, andregularly scheduled programming of the network broadcast is beingtransmitted the subscriber on the tuned channel. At time T₁, anaddressable break window is opened, as traditional broadcast systemswould use, however in this embodiment, no bandwidth is yet allocated tothe stream 23. A cue tone 25 occurs at time T₂, specifying time, T₃, forthe start of actual addressable break, but still no bandwidth isallocated. When time T₃ arrives as the actual start of addressable break17, additional bandwidth 9 is now allocated to the addressable contentstream and spliced into the broadcast stream nearly instantaneously.Time T₄ occurs during the actual break 17 and additional bandwidth 9remains allocated for the broadcast of the addressable break content.The additional bandwidth 9 is de-allocated immediately at Time T₅, theend of the break, as dictated by the cue tone 25 at Time T₂, tuning thereceiver back to the broadcast stream. At time T₆, the addressable break17 has already ended, but the break window remains open, however nobandwidth is allocated. The break window is closed at a later time T₇.It should be noted that, according to one embodiment, the window openand window close events shown in FIG. 4 are irrelevant to allocation ofadditional bandwidth.

The embodiment of the dynamic bandwidth allocation system describedabove is more efficient than the schedule-based allocation method. Forthe example of a twenty minute window with a sixty-second break,previously mentioned, the schedule based system would allocate twentytimes more bandwidth for the same break than the dynamic system of thepresent embodiment (i.e., twenty minutes of costly allocated bandwidthversus sixty seconds), with the same effective bandwidth used.Alternatively, even in an embodiment of the invention in which bandwidthwould be allocated immediately upon receipt of the cue tone (at Time T₂)instead of at the exact break-start (T₃), to provide a buffer, or safetyperiod to ensure available bandwidth, significant efficiencies are stillmaintained using the dynamic allocation system of the embodiment.

One embodiment of the invention includes a method 500 for dynamicallyallocating bandwidth for addressable content, as depicted in FIG. 5. Asdescribed above, each station may have distinct schedule breaks foraddressable content to be broadcast to subscribers. The break schedule27 may be created and managed in a traffic and billing system, anddriven by an advertisement insertion module, both described in furtherdetail below. Using the time scale outlined above in connection withFIG. 4, an addressable break window may open 29 at Time T₀, indicatingthe possibility of an upcoming break. At Time T₁ a cue tone is receivedand processed 31 for the start-time, duration, end-time or other data33. At Time T₃, the additional bandwidth is allocated 35 at or near thesame time as the actual break begins as contained in the cue tone. Atand during Time T₄ the additional bandwidth is allocated and used tostream the addressable content 37 to subscriber's receiver. When theaddressable break ends, at Time T₅, the additional bandwidth isde-allocated 39 and returned to a pool of available bandwidth to be usedfor other applications or requests. The addressable break window mayremain open for a period, T₆ after the end of the actual break until thewidow is scheduled to close at Time T₇ 41.

Turning now to FIG. 6, an implementation of a dynamic bandwidthallocation system 600 is depicted in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention. According to the embodiment, a traffic and billing(“T&B”) system module 43 manages the schedules for the local advertisingbreaks. An advertising insertion system module 45 manages insertion oflocal commercials in the local breaks. The local commercials inserted inthis illustrated embodiment are non-addressable or non-targetedadvertisements broadcast to all transmission receivers. A digital adserver 47 manages local commercials for one or more sets of particularad insertion zones. A digital ad splicer 49 actually splices localdigital commercials into the digital network feeds 53. The splicer 49interacts with the digital ad server 47 by inserting the commercialsobtained from the ad server 47. An edge device module 51 manages theaddressable commercials by managing and allocating the requiredbandwidth needed to stream the addressable commercials. When the edgedevice module 51 detects an addressable break, through a digital cuetone or other signal as described above, the edge device module 51dynamically allocates the necessary bandwidth for the duration of thebreak. The edge device module 51 then uses the allocated bandwidth tostream out the commercials 55 in addition to the network feeds 57 andthen de-allocates the bandwidth again at the end-time obtained from thecue tone. If multiple, simultaneous, addressable breaks should occur,the edge device module 51 attempts to allocate bandwidth for all of thebreaks. Once the edge device module 51 runs out of available bandwidth,it will stop servicing addressable advertising breaks until enoughbandwidth is returned. For example, if two or more broadcast channelshappen to send cue tones to open up addressable content breaks at thesame time, or if the breaks will overlap, the edge device module 51 willattempt to allocate the necessary bandwidth to both, or all channels,having simultaneous or overlapping addressable breaks, until thespectrum of available bandwidth is diminished beyond the capacity tocarry further signals.

In an alternative embodiment, the functionality of the dynamic bandwidthallocation system derived from the edge device, may be built intodigital ad servers and/or splicers. An exemplary embodiment 700 isdepicted in FIG. 7. A T&B system 43 manages the schedules for the localadvertising breaks. The advertising insertion system module 45 managesinsertion of local commercials in the local breaks together with adigital as splicer 49. These are regular local commercials, not theaddressable commercials. The ad server 47 manages bandwidth foraddressable commercials when the splicer 49 detects and notifies the adserver 47 that a digital cue tone has occurred. The ad server 47 willthen allocate the necessary bandwidth for the exact duration of thebreak, as detailed in the cue tone, and use the allocated bandwidth tostream the commercials 55 out to the DSTBs. When the end of the breakoccurs, the ad server 47 will de-allocate the bandwidth freeing it upfor subsequent allocation, and will instruct the splicer 49 to return tothe network feed 57. The illustrative embodiment may also handlemultiple, simultaneous, addressable advertising breaks as describedabove in connection with the system of FIG. 6.

According to another embodiment of the invention, as depicted in FIG. 8,a dynamic bandwidth allocation system 800 includes a digital ad server47 to allocate bandwidth by transmitting a call to a resource managermodule 59. A T&B system 43 manages the schedules for the localadvertising breaks. The advertising insertion system module 45 managesinsertion of local commercials in the local breaks together with adigital ad splicer 49. These are regular local commercials, not theaddressable commercials. The ad server 47 further manages bandwidth foraddressable commercials when the splicer 49 detects and notifies the adserver 47 that a digital cue tone has occurred. Specifically, the adserver 47 may request bandwidth from the resource manager 59 whenever acue tone occurs. The resource manager module 59 manages a pool ofavailable bandwidth that may or may not be shared with otherbandwidth-intense applications such as VOD, SDV or other applications.The resource manager module 59 receives requests for bandwidth from thedigital ad server and can serve these requests based on a prioritizationpolicy, such as a first-come-first served policy. Other moresophisticated, non-linear prioritization policies may also beimplemented without deviating from the scope of the invention. Thedigital ad server will then obtain the necessary bandwidth for the exactduration of the break, as detailed in the cue tone, and use theallocated bandwidth to stream the commercials 55 out to the DSTBs. Whenthe end of the break occurs, the ad server will return the bandwidthback to the resource manager 59.

According to another embodiment of the invention, as depicted in FIG. 9,a dynamic bandwidth allocation system 900 includes a T&B system 43 thatmanages the schedules for the local advertising breaks. Whenever an adsplicer 49 receives a digital cue tone, it will notify the ad server 47.The ad server 47 then requests bandwidth for addressable commercialsfrom resource manager 59. The resource manager 59 manages a pool ofavailable network bandwidth. In fact the network is divided up inseveral sub-networks 61, where each subnetwork 61 has its own bandwidthresource 63. Each subnetwork 61 also represents a number of connected(subscriber) homes 65 within the cable system, direct-to-home satellitesystem, or IPTV system. An example of such a subnetwork 61 in a cablesystem is a service group, where depending on the system each servicegroup may comprise several hundred to few thousand subscriber homes 65.When the resource manager 59 receives a request for addressablecommercials (A, B, C, D, E) from the ad server 47, the resource manager59 may allocate that bandwidth in every one of its subnetworks 61. Theresource manager 59 knows which individual homes 65 are in eachsubnetwork 61. The resource manager 59 also knows which home is profiledor targeted with each commercial (A, B, C, D, E). Rather than allocatingadditional bandwidth for all five commercials (A, B, C, D, E) in allsubnetworks 61, the resource manager 59 will only allocate theadditional bandwidth for a commercial in a subnetwork 61 if there is atleast one home in that subnetwork 61 that will be targeted with thatparticular commercial. The result is a more efficient bandwidthallocation as illustrated below:

Bandwidth Subnet# # Home Profiles Allocated 1 7 A, B, A, B, B, E, A 3x 213 D, B, A, C, A, A, A, A, D, C, C, C, B 4x 3 10 E, A, E, E, A, E, B, E,E, E 3x 4 18 C, C, B, A, C, E, D, A, A, B, C, B, E, 5x E, A, B, C, C 5 4A, C, C, B 3xFor example, Subnet #1 may include seven homes in its defined network.According to the resource manager's profile, those seven homes aretargeted to receive commercials A, B and E (three home receivingcommercial A, three home receiving commercial B and one home receivingcommercial E). Accordingly, the resource manager may only allocate theadditional bandwidth required to stream those three commercials to thehomes of assigned to Subnet #1, instead of allocating the additionalbandwidth for the full five addressable advertisements.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, as depicted inFIG. 10, a dynamic bandwidth allocation system 1000 includes a T&Bsystem 43 that manages the schedules for the local advertising breaks.Whenever an ad splicer 49 receives a digital cue tone, it will notifythe ad server 47. The ad server 47 then requests bandwidth foraddressable commercials from resource manager 59. The resource manager59 manages a pool of available network bandwidth. In fact the network isdivided up in several sub-networks 61, where each subnetwork 61 has itsown bandwidth resource 63. Each subnetwork 61 also represents a numberof connected (subscriber) homes 65 within the system. When the resourcemanager 59 receives a request for addressable commercials (A, B, C, D,E) from the ad server 47, the resource manager 59 may allocate thatbandwidth in every one of its subnetworks 61. The resource manager 59knows which individual homes 65 are in each subnetwork 61. The resourcemanager 59 also knows which home is profiled or targeted with eachcommercial (A, B, C, D, E). In addition, the resource manager 59 alsoknows which of the homes is currently active. A home is active if it isready to receive one of the addressable commercials (A, B, C, D, E). Anexample of an active home 67, is a home that is tuned to a channel thatis ready to receive an addressable break. As the home is tuned to anappropriate channel, the home is ready to receive one of the addressablecommercials at an upcoming addressable break. Rather than allocatingbandwidth for all five commercials in all subnetworks 61, the resourcemanager 59 will only allocate bandwidth for a commercial in asubnetwork, if there is at least one active home in that subnetwork thatwill be targeted with that commercial. The result is an even moreefficient bandwidth allocation as illustrated below:

Subnet# # Active Home Profiles Bandwidth Allocated 1 7 A, A, B 2x 2 13D, A, C, B 4x 3 10 0x 4 18 C, C, B, B, C, C 2x 5 4 A lxFor example, Subnet #1 may include seven homes in its defined network.Of those seven homes, only three homes are currently active (i.e.currently tuned to a channel ready to receive addressable content). Ofthose three active homes, two are targeted to receive commercial A andone home is targeted to receive commercial B. Because only three homesare currently active, and of those three home, only two addressablecommercials are targeted to those homes, bandwidth need only beallocated for two distinct addressable content streams.

While the certain embodiments described herein include a resourcemanager in system configurations like those shown in FIGS. 8-10, oneskilled in the art should recognize that the resource manager may beimplemented in alternative system configurations, such as the system ofFIG. 6, without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention.

While the embodiments described herein are depicted as modular systemswith defined functionalities, one skilled in the art should recognizethat the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodimentsand other system architectures using different combinations offunctionality in digital ad servers, digital ad splicers, edge devices,and resource managers may be implemented without deviating from thescope of the invention.

While the invention has been described with reference to illustrativeembodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious other changes, omissions and/or additions may be made andsubstantial equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, manymodifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material tothe teachings of the invention without departing from the scope thereof.Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to theparticular embodiment disclosed for carrying out this invention, butthat the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scopeof the appended claims. Moreover, unless specifically stated, any use ofthe terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, butrather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one elementfrom another.

1. A method comprising: determining a start time of targeted content ina content transmission; allocating, prior to the start time of thetargeted content, a portion of available bandwidth to the contenttransmission; and de-allocating, after the targeted content has beenoutput, the portion of available bandwidth.
 2. The method of claim 1,further comprising causing output, starting at the start time, of thetargeted content.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprisingtransmitting, starting at the start time, the targeted content.
 4. Themethod of claim 3, wherein the targeted content is transmitted to areceiver.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the start timeof the targeted content comprises receiving data indicating at least thestart time of the targeted content.
 6. The method of claim 5, whereinthe data comprises at least one of a trigger and a cue tone.
 7. Themethod of claim 5, wherein the data further indicates an end time of thetargeted content.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising switchingfrom the content transmission to targeted content starting at the starttime.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the targeted content comprises atargeted advertisement.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least aportion of the content transmission comprises non-directed content. 11.An apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory storing instructionsthat, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to: determinea start time of targeted content in a content transmission; allocate,prior to the start time of the targeted content, a portion of availablebandwidth to the content transmission; and de-allocate, after thetargeted content has been output, the portion of available bandwidth.12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed,further cause the apparatus to cause output, starting at the start time,of the targeted content.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein theinstructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to transmit,starting at the start time, the targeted content.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatusto determine the start time of the targeted content by receiving dataindicating at least the start time of the targeted content.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, furthercause the apparatus to switch from the content transmission to targetedcontent starting at the start time.
 16. A non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, whenexecuted by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to: determine a start timeof targeted content in a content transmission; allocate, prior to thestart time of the targeted content, a portion of available bandwidth tothe content transmission; and de-allocate, after the targeted contenthas been output, the portion of available bandwidth.
 17. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein theinstructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to causeoutput, starting at the start time, of the targeted content.
 18. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein theinstructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to transmit,starting at the start time, the targeted content.
 19. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions,when executed, cause the apparatus to determine the start time of thetargeted content by receiving data indicating at least the start time ofthe targeted content.
 20. The non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, furthercause the apparatus to switch from the content transmission to targetedcontent starting at the start time.